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Cast-saw Injuries Drop ‘Dramatically’ at Boston Hospital Using Training Program

Removing a cast is routine, but it still carries some small risks. Those risks start with the casting saw itself. To cut through a cast, the saw does not spin. Instead, it oscillates rapidly back and forth, which causes the fiberglass to crack open without scratching the skin. But the fast motion still generates friction. Friction creates heat. And as the heat builds, it can cause a burn. In one of the training rooms at Children’s, residents learn exactly how hot these saws can get.